From the Contents of Esoteric Classes

On-line since: 30th May, 2007

EL, Kassel, 6-27-'09

Selfishness is combated through logical thinking. If thinking
regulates itself logically, desires can no longer come up and the body
works automatically. We close our eye automatically if a fly
approaches it. Spirits of Movement built this reflex into us. What we
do automatically is always correct and wise; what we do voluntarily is
subject to error. Sprits of Movement also had to learn; they made a
lot of mistakes before movements like eye closure became automatic in
us and before these movements could be carried out so wisely. Such
movements are completely independent of our personal feelings, wishes,
etc. That's the way our thinking must become. The right sequences of
thoughts must be strung together entirely by themselves; thoughts must
not be produced for selfish reasons and purposes. They must proceed
from previous ones in a purely logical way. We learn logical thinking
from theosophical teachings, when the mighty facts that can all be
understood with the intellect, even if one can't see and investigate
them oneself, are placed before us and we try to grasp them with our
thinking. Thereby we're diverted from lines of thought that only group
around our own small lower ego and we're directed towards great,
comprehensive ideas. That's the way we work on our astral body.

We're born with certain inclinations that become converted into habits
during life. What fit to these habits earlier now becomes a hindrance
to progress. All action must become conscious; we should do things on
our own and not because of our connections with family, nation,
classes or circumstances. Thereby we work on our etheric body.

Worries put pressure on the physical body. We should do our duty, and
also against opposition, but we shouldn't worry too much. It's hard to
strike the right balance here between concern and standing above it,
but too much worry dries out the brain so that it can't take in new
thoughts. The greatest man of sorrows or soter was Christ, and
as it says in
(I Peter 5:7)
we should cast all our care on him; for he
cares for you. that is, we should give all worries past a certain
point to Christ so that He can make our physical body healthy and
strong, so that our soul is also healthy.